1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector locking structure in which a slide member including a flexible securing projection is mounted on a female connector housing, and the mutually fitting engagement between the male and female connector housings can be locked or unlocked by moving the slide member.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 11, in a connecting structure for connecting a male connector 1 on the wire harness side and a female connector 5 on the equipment side, a lock arm 3 is provided on a male connector housing 2 formed of synthetic resin in such a manner that the lock arm 3 is formed integrally with the male connector housing 2 and, similarly, an engaging projection 7 corresponding to the lock arm 3 is provided on a female connector housing 6, whereby the two connectors 1 and 5 are fitted with and locked to each other.
[0003]
Especially, since a heat resistance property must be given to the female connector housing 6 on the equipment side, the lock arm 3, which is highly flexible, in most cases, cannot be formed of heat-resisting resin. Also, when the lock arm 3 is provided on the female connector housing 6 on the equipment side, the efficiency of an operation when removing the locked condition of the male and female connectors 1 and 5 is poor. This is the reason why the lock arm 3 including a removal operation portion 4 is provided on the male connector 1 on the wire harness side.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional connecting structure, since the lock arm 3 projects from the male connector housing 2, the male connector 1 is enlarged in size to thereby increase the size of the whole connector; and, because the lock arm 3 can be easily interfered, there is a fear that the locked condition of the two male and female connectors 1 and 5 can be removed inadvertently.